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Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language

CHAPTER 125--H.F.No. 1036

An act

relating to health care; modifying provisions related to physician assistants, midwives, and nurses; modifying provisions related to license suspension and contested case hearings;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 147A.01, subdivisions 17a, 23; 147A.20, subdivisions 1, 2; 147D.05, subdivision 1; 147D.09; 147D.25, subdivision 1; 148.271; 214.077; 214.10, subdivisions 2, 2a, by adding a subdivision; 214.32, subdivision 6; Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 147D.13, subdivision 2; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 147A.01, subdivision 5; 147D.17, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147A.01, subdivision 17a, is amended to read:

Subd. 17a.

Physician-physician assistant delegation agreement.

"Physician-physician assistant delegation agreement" means the document prepared and signed by the physician and physician assistant affirming the supervisory relationship and defining the physician assistant scope of practice. deleted text begin Alternate supervising physicians must be identified on the delegation agreement or a supplemental listing with signed attestation that each shall accept full medical responsibility for the performance, practice, and activities of the physician assistant while under the supervision of the alternate supervising physician. deleted text end The physician-physician assistant delegation agreement outlines the role of the physician assistant in the practice, describes the means of supervision, and specifies the categories of drugs, controlled substances, and medical devices that the supervising physician delegates to the physician assistant to prescribe. The physician-physician assistant delegation agreement must comply with the requirements of section 147A.20, be kept on file at the address of record, and be made available to the board or its representative upon request.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147A.01, subdivision 23, is amended to read:

Subd. 23.

Supervising physician.

"Supervising physician" means a Minnesota licensed physician who accepts full medical responsibility for the performance, practice, and activities of a physician assistant under an agreement as described in section 147A.20. deleted text begin The supervising physician who completes and signs the delegation agreement may be referred to as the primary supervising physician. A supervising physician shall not supervise more than five full-time equivalent physician assistants simultaneously. With the approval of the board, or in a disaster or emergency situation pursuant to section 147A.23, a supervising physician may supervise more than five full-time equivalent physician assistants simultaneously.deleted text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147A.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Physician-physician assistant delegation agreement.

(a) A physician assistant and supervising physician must sign a physician-physician assistant delegation agreement which specifies scope of practice and manner of supervision as required by the board. The agreement must contain:

(1) a description of the practice setting;

(2) a listing of categories of delegated duties;

(3) a description of supervision type; and

(4) a description of the process and schedule for review of prescribing, dispensing, and administering legend and controlled drugs and medical devices by the physician assistant authorized to prescribe.

(b) The agreement must be maintained by the supervising physician and physician assistant and made available to the board upon request. If there is a delegation of prescribing, administering, and dispensing of legend drugs, controlled substances, and medical devices, the agreement shall include a description of the prescriptive authority delegated to the physician assistant. Physician assistants shall have a separate agreement for each place of employment. Agreements must be reviewed and updated on an annual basis. The supervising physician and physician assistant must maintain the physician-physician assistant delegation agreement at the address of record.

(c) Physician assistants must provide written notification to the board within 30 days of the following:

(1) name change;

(2) address of record change; and

(3) telephone number of record change.

deleted text begin (d) Any alternate supervising physicians must be identified in the physician-physician assistant delegation agreement, or a supplemental listing, and must sign the agreement attesting that they shall provide the physician assistant with supervision in compliance with this chapter, the delegation agreement, and board rules. deleted text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147A.20, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

deleted text begin Notification of intent todeleted text end Practicenew text begin location notificationnew text end .

A licensed physician assistant shall submit a deleted text begin notification of intent todeleted text end practice new text begin location notification new text end to the board deleted text begin prior to beginningdeleted text end new text begin within 30 business days of startingnew text end practicenew text begin , changing practice location, or changing supervising physiciannew text end . The notification shall include the name, business address, and telephone number of the supervising physician and the physician assistant. Individuals who practice without submitting a deleted text begin notification of intent to deleted text end practice new text begin location notification new text end shall be subject to disciplinary action under section 147A.13 for practicing without a license, unless the care is provided in response to a disaster or emergency situation pursuant to section 147A.23.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147D.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Practice standards.

(a) A licensed traditional midwife shall provide an initial and ongoing screening to ensure that each client receives safe and appropriate care. A licensed traditional midwife shall only accept and provide care to those women who are expected to have a normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery. As part of the initial screening to determine whether any contraindications are present, the licensed traditional midwife must take a detailed health history that includes the woman's social, medical, surgical, menstrual, gynecological, contraceptive, obstetrical, family, nutritional, and drug/chemical use histories. If a licensed traditional midwife determines at any time during the course of the pregnancy that a woman's condition may preclude attendance by a traditional midwife, the licensed traditional midwife must refer the client to a licensed health care provider. As part of the initial and ongoing screening, a licensed traditional midwife must new text begin provide or new text end recommend that the client receive the following services, if indicated, from an appropriate health care provider:

(1) initial laboratory pregnancy screening, including blood group and type, antibody screen, Indirect Coombs, rubella titer, CBC with differential and syphilis serology;

(2) gonorrhea and chlamydia cultures;

(3) screening for sickle cell;

(4) screening for hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);

(5) maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein test and ultrasound;

(6) Rh antibody and glucose screening at 28 weeks gestation;

(7) mandated newborn screening;

(8) Rh screening of the infant for maternal RhoGAM treatment; and

(9) screening for premature labor.

(b) A client must make arrangements to have the results of any of the tests described in paragraph (a) sent to the licensed traditional midwife providing services to the client. The licensed traditional midwife must include these results in the client's record.

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147D.09, is amended to read:

147D.09 LIMITATIONS OF PRACTICE.

(a) A licensed traditional midwife shall not prescribe, dispense, or administer prescription drugs, except as permitted under paragraph (b).

(b) A licensed traditional midwife may administer vitamin K either orally or through intramuscular injection, new text begin maternal RhoGAM treatment, new text end postpartum antihemorrhagic drugs under emergency situations, local anesthetic, oxygen, and a prophylactic eye agent to the newborn infant.

(c) A licensed traditional midwife shall not perform any operative or surgical procedures except for suture repair of first- or second-degree perineal lacerations.

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 147D.13, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Practice report.

(a) A licensed traditional midwife must compile a summary report on each client. The report must include the following:

(1) vital records;

(2) scope of care administered;

(3) whether the medical consultation plan was implemented; and

(4) any physician or other health care provider referrals made.

(b) The board new text begin or advisory council new text end may review these reports at any time upon request.

Sec. 8.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 147D.25, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Membership.

The board shall appoint a five-member Advisory Council on Licensed Traditional Midwifery. deleted text begin One member shall be a licensed physician who has been or is currently consulting with licensed traditional midwives, appointed from a list of names submitted to the board by the Minnesota Medical Association.deleted text end new text begin One member shall be a licensed physician who has been or is currently consulting or collaborating with licensed traditional midwives appointed from a list of names submitted to the board by the Minnesota Council of Certified Professional Midwives or its successors.new text end Three members shall be licensed traditional midwives appointed from a list of names submitted to the board by Midwifery Nownew text begin and the Minnesota Council of Certified Professional Midwives or their successorsnew text end . One member shall be a deleted text begin home birthdeleted text end parent new text begin of a child born under the care of a licensed traditional midwife new text end appointed from a list of names submitted to the board by Minnesota Families for Midwiferynew text begin , or its successornew text end .

Sec. 9.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 148.271, is amended to read:

148.271 EXEMPTIONS.

The provisions of sections 148.171 to 148.285 shall not prohibit:

(1) The furnishing of nursing assistance in an emergency.

(2) The practice of advanced practice, professional, or practical nursing by any legally qualified advanced practice, registered, or licensed practical nurse of another state who is employed by the United States government or any bureau, division, or agency thereof while in the discharge of official duties.

(3) The practice of any profession or occupation licensed by the state, other than advanced practice, professional, or practical nursing, by any person duly licensed to practice the profession or occupation, or the performance by a person of any acts properly coming within the scope of the profession, occupation, or license.

(4) The provision of a nursing or nursing-related service by an unlicensed assistive person who has been delegated or assigned the specific function and is supervised by a registered nurse or monitored by a licensed practical nurse.

(5) The care of the sick with or without compensation when done in a nursing home covered by the provisions of section 144A.09, subdivision 1.

(6) Professional nursing practice or advanced practice registered nursing practice by a registered nurse or practical nursing practice by a licensed practical nurse licensed in another state or territory who is in Minnesota as a student enrolled in a formal, structured course of study, such as a course leading to a higher degree, certification in a nursing specialty, or to enhance skills in a clinical field, while the student is practicing in the course.

(7) Professional or practical nursing practice by a student practicing under the supervision of an instructor while the student is enrolled in a nursing program approved by the board under section 148.251.

(8) Advanced practice registered nursing as defined in section 148.171, subdivisions 5, 10, 11, 13, and 21, by a registered nurse who is licensed and currently registered in Minnesota or another United States jurisdiction and who is enrolled as a student in a formal graduate education program leading to eligibility for certification and licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse.

new text begin (9) Professional nursing practice or advanced practice registered nursing practice by a registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse licensed in another state, territory, or jurisdiction who is in Minnesota temporarily: new text end

new text begin (i) providing continuing or in-service education; new text end

new text begin (ii) serving as a guest lecturer; new text end

new text begin (iii) presenting at a conference; or new text end

new text begin (iv) teaching didactic content via distance education to a student located in Minnesota who is enrolled in a formal, structured course of study, such as a course leading to a higher degree or certification in a nursing specialty. new text end

Sec. 10.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 214.077, is amended to read:

214.077 TEMPORARY LICENSE SUSPENSION; IMMINENT RISK OF new text begin SERIOUS new text end HARM.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of a health-related professional practice act, when a health-related licensing board receives a complaint regarding a regulated person and has probable cause to believe new text begin that the regulated person has violated a statute or rule that the health-related licensing board is empowered to enforce, and new text end continued practice by the regulated person presents an imminent risk of new text begin serious new text end harm, the new text begin health-related new text end licensing board shall new text begin issue an order new text end temporarily deleted text begin suspenddeleted text end new text begin suspendingnew text end the regulated person's deleted text begin professional licensedeleted text end new text begin authority to practicenew text end . The new text begin temporary new text end suspension new text begin order new text end shall deleted text begin take effect upon written notice to the regulated person and shalldeleted text end specify the reason for the suspensiondeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin , including the statute or rule alleged to have been violated. The temporary suspension order shall take effect upon personal service on the regulated person or the regulated person's attorney, or upon the third calendar day after the order is served by first class mail to the most recent address provided to the health-related licensing board for the regulated person or the regulated person's attorney.new text end

(b) The new text begin temporary new text end suspension shall remain in effect until the deleted text begin appropriate deleted text end new text begin health-relatednew text end licensing board or the commissioner completes an investigationnew text begin , holds a contested case hearing pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act,new text end and issues a final order in the matter deleted text begin after a hearingdeleted text end new text begin as provided for in this sectionnew text end .

(c) At the time it issues the new text begin temporary new text end suspension deleted text begin noticedeleted text end new text begin ordernew text end , the deleted text begin appropriate deleted text end new text begin health-relatednew text end licensing board shall schedule a deleted text begin disciplinarydeleted text end new text begin contested casenew text end hearingnew text begin , on the merits of whether discipline is warranted,new text end to be held deleted text begin before the licensing board ordeleted text end pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. The regulated person shall be provided with at least ten days' notice of any new text begin contested case new text end hearing held pursuant to this section. The new text begin contested case new text end hearing shall be scheduled to begin no later than 30 days after deleted text begin issuancedeleted text end new text begin the effective servicenew text end of the new text begin temporary new text end suspension order.

new text begin (d) The administrative law judge presiding over the contested case hearing shall issue a report and recommendation to the health-related licensing board no later than 30 days after the final day of the contested case hearing. The health-related licensing board shall issue a final order pursuant to sections 14.61 and 14.62 within 30 days of receipt of the administrative law judge's report and recommendations. Except as provided in paragraph (e), if the health-related licensing board has not issued a final order pursuant to sections 14.61 and 14.62 within 30 days of receipt of the administrative law judge's report and recommendations, the temporary suspension shall be lifted. new text end

deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (e)new text end If deleted text begin the board has not completed its investigation and issued a final order within 30 days, the temporary suspension shall be lifted, unless the regulated person requests a delay in the disciplinary proceedings for any reason, upon which the temporary suspension shall remain in place until the completion of the investigation.deleted text end new text begin the regulated person requests a delay in the contested case proceedings provided for in paragraphs (c) and (d) for any reason, the temporary suspension shall remain in effect until the health-related licensing board issues a final order pursuant to sections 14.61 and 14.62.new text end

new text begin (f) This section shall not apply to the Office of Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Practice established under section 146A.02. The commissioner of health shall conduct temporary suspensions for complementary and alternative health care practitioners in accordance with section 146A.09. new text end

Sec. 11.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 214.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Investigation and hearing.

The designee of the attorney general providing legal services to a board shall evaluate the communications forwarded by the board or its members or staff. If the communication alleges a violation of statute or rule which the board is to enforce, the designee is empowered to investigate the facts alleged in the communication. In the process of evaluation and investigation, the designee shall consult with or seek the assistance of the executive director, executive secretary, or, if the board determines, a member of the board who has been appointed by the board to assist the designee. The designee may also consult with or seek the assistance of any other qualified persons who are not members of the board who the designee believes will materially aid in the process of evaluation or investigation. The executive director, executive secretary, or the consulted board member may attempt to correct improper activities and redress grievances through education, conference, conciliation and persuasion, and in these attempts may be assisted by the designee of the attorney general. If the attempts at correction or redress do not produce satisfactory results in the opinion of the executive director, executive secretary, or the consulted board member, or if after investigation the designee providing legal services to the board, the executive director, executive secretary, or the consulted board member believes that the communication and the investigation suggest illegal or unauthorized activities warranting board action, the person having the belief shall inform the executive director or executive secretary of the board who shall schedule a deleted text begin disciplinarydeleted text end new text begin contested casenew text end hearing in accordance with chapter 14. Before directing the holding of a deleted text begin disciplinarydeleted text end new text begin contested casenew text end hearing, the executive director, executive secretary, or the designee of the attorney general shall have considered the recommendations of the consulted board member. Before scheduling a deleted text begin disciplinary deleted text end new text begin contested casenew text end hearing, the executive director or executive secretary must have received a verified written complaint from the complaining party. A board member who was consulted during the course of an investigation may participate at the hearing but may not vote on any matter pertaining to the case. The executive director or executive secretary of the board shall promptly inform the complaining party of the final disposition of the complaint. Nothing in this section shall preclude the board from scheduling, on its own motion, a deleted text begin disciplinarydeleted text end new text begin contested casenew text end hearing based upon the findings or report of the board's executive director or executive secretary, a board member or the designee of the attorney general assigned to the board. Nothing in this section shall preclude a member of the board, executive director, or executive secretary from initiating a complaint.

Sec. 12.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 214.10, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a.

Proceedings.

A board shall initiate proceedings to suspend or revoke a license or shall refuse to renew a license of a person licensed by the board who is convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of violating section deleted text begin 609.224, subdivision 2 deleted text end new text begin 609.2231, subdivision 8new text end , deleted text begin paragraph (c),deleted text end 609.23, 609.231, 609.2325, 609.233, 609.2335, 609.234, 609.465, 609.466, 609.52, or 609.72, subdivision 3.

Sec. 13.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 214.10, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 14. new text end

new text begin Complementary and alternative health care practitioners. new text end

new text begin This section shall not apply to complementary and alternative health care practitioners practicing under chapter 146A. Complaints and disciplinary actions against complementary and alternative health care practitioners shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 146A. new text end

Sec. 14.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 214.32, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Duties of a participating board.

Upon receiving a report from the program manager in accordance with section 214.33, subdivision 3, deleted text begin that a regulated person has been discharged from the program due to noncompliance based on allegations that the regulated person has engaged in conduct that might cause risk to the public, whendeleted text end new text begin and ifnew text end the participating new text begin health-related licensing new text end board has probable cause to believe continued practice by the regulated person presents an imminent risk of new text begin serious new text end harm, the new text begin health-related licensing new text end board shall deleted text begin temporarily suspend the regulated person's professional license until the completion of a disciplinary investigation. The board must complete the disciplinary investigation within 30 days of receipt of the report from the program. If the investigation is not completed by the board within 30 days, the temporary suspension shall be lifted, unless the regulated person requests a delay in the disciplinary proceedings for any reason, upon which the temporary suspension shall remain in place until the completion of the investigationdeleted text end new text begin proceed pursuant to the requirements in section 214.077new text end .

Sec. 15.

new text begin REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. new text end

new text begin (a) The revisor of statutes shall change the term "physician's assistant" to "physician assistant" wherever that term is found in Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules. new text end

new text begin (b) The revisor of statutes shall change the term "physician ancillary" to "physician assistant" wherever that term is found in Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules. new text end

Sec. 16.

new text begin REPEALER. new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 147A.01, subdivision 5; and 147D.17, subdivision 4, new text end new text begin are repealed. new text end

Presented to the governor May 17, 2016

Signed by the governor May 19, 2016, 10:58 a.m.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes